<p>I go to school in a downtown university and I got taken for a fool today by trying to help out a homeless person. I should've known better, but I was feeling a little good today so I took a chance. Never again.</p>
<p>If you feel a little bad about not giving your money to bums...DON'T. You don't have it to waste. Just walk right past them.</p>
<p>What happened?</p>
<p>He probably saw the guy gamble away whatever he gave him.
but, yeah, they really just try to scam you into giving them money. I've been tricked lots of times. But alot of times I just ignore them.</p>
<p>im always afraid they will like kill me or something if i don't give them something.</p>
<p>"waste"- if you want to help, but don't want to hand $ to someone on the street, volunteer at a shelter, or donate the cost of a starbucks, or give clothing</p>
<p>how do you feel the fool, because you showed compassion, which may or may not have been misplaced?</p>
<p>I think that this topic all depends on where you live. Where I live, there are pan handling permits folks can get. Then, they get right up on top of you asking for money. I never give money and act like I do not speak English. Because, if someone gets all on top of you, it could be because they want to mug you. </p>
<p>Just do not do it. I mean, really?! Why risk getting mugged. Just try to be nice and say no hablo english mother trucker and move on.</p>
<p>Fortunately, I live in a residential area of my town, but I will be careful to heed your advice, especially ^'s advice.</p>
<p>.-_-.</p>
<p>Trust me, I've seen it in Chicago, Houston, and D.C, just don't give the street bums your money. It's not being greedy or elitist. Obviously if some student at your school asked for a dollar you'd probably give it to them to be nice, but this is a different situation.</p>
<p>Most of the street bums spend the money on booze or drugs. Sad but true. If you really want to help them out, keep food stamps on your person and give them those. However, my cousins gave some bum some food stamps once, and he tossed them back. One time a bum asked for "bus fare" and when my friend gave him a bus pass, he scowled and threw it to the ground. These people want booze, drugs, or simply to make a living by begging, and are relying on the compassion or empathy of people like you in order to scam you.</p>
<p>Ask ANYONE who lives in the city, or is experienced in matters like this. Any street smart person will tell you not to give them money. It's virtually common sense at this point. If you feel guilty somehow, which they are trying to make you feel, just tell them "I don't have any money" or walk away ignoring them.</p>
<p>Now you know.</p>
<p>I'm A Hustla, I'm A I'm A Hustla Homie!
I'm A Hustla, I'm A I'm A Hustla Homie!</p>
<p>Don't give them money, most of them will probably just end up buying drugs or alcohol with it. Instead if you want to help, give them food or blankets.</p>
<p>ABC's Nightline a number of years back did a series on "The Homeless"</p>
<p>They followed this one guy for many months, turned out he did have a home, his sister in fact offered a very nice room for him to stay in anytime for a long as he wanted, with free food and everything. However she had one rule: NO BOOZE</p>
<p>He didn't like the rule so he mostly stayed on the street, hustling for booze and drugs</p>
<p>It was a bit embarassing for Ted Koppel, who for years have been preching it was all the governments fault that these people were "homeless" </p>
<p>Eventually this guy overdosed on heroin or something similar and was found dead on the streets in Boston</p>
<p>I only gave money to somebody once and that was because the person was really harassing a mother and her child, and I thought that me giving money would get him away from them. That's the first and last time I'll do that.</p>
<p>I never give money to people in the streets unless its like change or something of that sort. If I see a homeless person and they ask for money for food, I'll take them to the nearest place where I could get food and tell him to pick whatever he wants to eat and I'll just pay it off. One day I felt real guilty because I came out of a pizzeria and had a mini-pie. And there was this guy asking for money to buy food. I felt bad not giving him anything but I had to run and catch my train. And I had a $20 bill so money was definitely out of the question.</p>
<p>There is so many in Atlanta, I just ignore them.</p>
<p>Riding through the NYC subway twice a day, its very easy to become jaded. You hear the same monotonous speeches and keep your eyes down, like everyone else around you.</p>
<p>sometimes the beggers who see me passing by me start praying for me so I could give them money. like "may God give the the best place.." etc... all I say back is "Amen". but walk away without giving them anything.</p>
<p>This stuff is tough because I feel so guilty if I don't give them anything but I guess that I'm not as blunt as some of you guys. We don't really have that many homeless people in Sweden and you hardly ever see people begging for money here. I visited Milan last year though and a lot of people bugged me. I felt so guilty that I gave this guy, with one leg, €50, not to feel good about myself but I just figured that he needed the money more than me. </p>
<p>Thing is, if you're at a place where you constantly see people begging for money, an act like mine in Milan will just make you feel even guiltier when the next guy comes up. There was this guy later that same day that froze so badly and he just wanted a couple of euros but I didn't have anything besides my credit card and, yet again, I felt guiltier than ever. I guess you can't make everyone happy...</p>
<p>I stopped feeling sorry for them a long time ago. Not because I'm mean or think I'm better than them, but because of something that happened a few year back.
I was walking in the street minding my own business when out of nowhere this really dirty looking guy comes up to me and sort of pins me to a wall to one side. He blatantly demanded all the change I had. I'm still not sure if I was mugged that day or not. I gave the guy money (enough to buy a candy bar) and he ran off.
After that I would just ignore anyone in the street; even those who wanted directions.</p>
<p>Ive seen supposed homeless people in Burger king go around and ask for change. These homeless people were very dirty and well homeless. The homeless man asks the woman at the table next to me if she has any spare change. The woman replies, No I don't but I would be glad to buy you a meal sir. The homeless man, looks at her and declines and walks away.</p>
<p>^ stories like that just crack me up. I love to listen to stories like that; it's really amusing to know what new scams people can come up with every once i a while.</p>